Alek Sharp
by Bush Fire Transition
Summary: In which Alek Ferdinand becomes Alek Sharp, because we all know that Deryn is the man in this relationship.
1. Dinner

It had started out with a question. "Do you want to go out for dinner tonight?" Alek had asked.

"Sure," Deryn had replied.

"There's a movie theater nearby, too," Alek added. "I heard that that a terrible movie is playing in it. We can go see it afterwards and make fun of it."

Deryn took the time to look up at Alek over her newspaper, which she was sipping at a mug of coffee from behind. "That sounds nice," she said absentmindedly, returning to her newspaper. _Prohibition causes violence in New York_, the headline read.

Alek knew how Prohibition, which had seemed like a good idea at first, was becoming extremely problematic for the American government. Banning alcohol, the government claimed, would reduce crime rates dramatically and instill values in today's youth. Yes, there was much underage drinking, but putting a ban on it was bound to stir up some trouble.

And stir up trouble, it did. Sleazy businessmen selling alcohol on the Black Market, alcohol passed under countertops in bars, and deaths from drinking medicinal alcohol that was concentrated enough to kill a man (or woman). Really, the U.S. would be better off ending Prohibition for good. The economy did much better without it.

Also, Alek had never had a nice, proper date with dinner, with gourmet food and wine. It would be more romantic if there was wine, he decided.

"I have to go, but I'll meet up with you here later today, alright?" Alek said.

Deryn just mumbled "Mm-hm," not bothering to look up again. When asked why she was too absorbed in her newspaper to look up or acknowledge him, she would say that there was no reason to. He was right there and she was right there, and he could tell her whatever he wanted to while she was reading. Whenever Alek said that he loved that she would come over every morning but would like to be able to talk to her more often, she would just say, "I love that I can come over so early, too. It's great, you getting me free breakfast and tea every morning." Never once did she comment on the true intention of his words.

Deryn was not angry at him. No, not at all. She just wasn't talkative in the morning. She was also awkward about anything to do with their romantic relationship. Alek could bear this arrangement as it was as long as she continued to come over every morning.

"So I'll meet you at the usual place in the park outside of the university?"

Another "Mm-hm."

"I'll see you later, then, Deryn. I love you."

Three seconds passed by.

"I love you too, Alek."

Alek stifled a laugh at her awkwardness. "Goodbye." He laughed even more as his partner told him to just hurry up and leave or else he would be late for the lecture. He went outside and, realizing that it was raining something fierce, and took an umbrella from the umbrella stand to protect him from the elements. It looked like it would be a gray, gray day in Manhattan.

— — — — — — — — — — — — —

_Yet another gray, gray day in Manhattan,_ Deryn inwardly complained. She could not say that it rained more in America than England, as that was a statement untrue, but she still hated the rain. Especially when it was cold, like how it was now. This was explainable by the fact that it was winter, but still. _Why must it be so bloody cold?!_

Deryn shivered. She stood under an ancient-looking tree. She would say oak, because those are usually associated with ancient-ness, but she was no expert in dendrology. Also, she didn't care. Also, it was too cold to think clearly. Also, it was raining, which may or may not have been mentioned earlier. Alek was late by—Deryn checked her watch—five minutes, too. Those could have been five minutes on their merry way, or five minutes in the shelter of some nice restaurant.

She didn't know which restaurant, just that Alek had told her to dress nicely when they had met each other by chance at the café neighboring Deryn's house. So, as requested, she was not wearing slacks, but rather, a skirt (with pants underneath) and a blouse. Also, rain boots. Thank goodness she had the feeling that she should put those on. Elsewise, she would be walking through the muddy puddles of Manhattan with shoes that were anything but waterproof. Every soldier knew that wet socks meant getting sick or getting a foot fungus and that they should be replaced at least once each day.

...But, now that she was back in regular society, it was considered strange if you didn't change your socks daily. The wet socks thing was just re-enforced by her inner soldier.

Deryn huffed. The (oak?) tree she was standing under had just dumped a large amount of rain on her umbrella, knocking it out of her hand. She picked it back up, extremely aggravated, and leaned against the tree.

Her mood elevated when she saw Alek walking towards her. It was a fast walk, and the his umbrella was threatening to turn itself inside-out. She couldn't see his eyes from underneath it, but she could see his teeth, which were chattering. He had taken an umbrella to protect himself from the rain, but only a light coat, which did little to keep him warm in temperatures this cold.

Deryn, being her sensible self, had a large, wooly coat on that went down to her knees, making sure that she was warm and dry.

Also, Alek didn't have rain boots.

"Did you not feel the cold when you walked out of our apartment this morning, Dummkopf?" Deryn greeted him. "Or the rain? Because your shoes are looking bloody _soaked."_

"I didn't think it would rain this hard," he grumpled in response.

Deryn shook her head. "Let's go," she said. "I want to get out of the rain as soon as humanly possible.

"So… Where are we going?"

"Café Un, Deux, Trois."

"What? Is that French?"

"Actually, it is," Alek said, starting to walk north. "It's a nice restaurant that serves French food."

"As opposed to Italian food?" said Deryn dryly.

"As opposed to Italian food," Alek agreed. "I hear that celebrities go there to eat often. Actors, singers and stuff. Maybe we'll meet someone famous there."

"I think that you're just about as famous as it gets, Alek," Deryn said, linking her arm with his. "So _you_ will be one of those people. The son of the duke of Austria-Hungary, who gave up his claim to the throne in order to be with an English woman who looks like a man most of the time. But hey! I guess I'm a celebrity, too!"

"I suppose so," Alek said thoughtfully. "It's a good thing that the news moved onto other things quickly. Elsewise, we'd be surrounded by reporters on a daily basis, and I don't know how I would be able to go to college with having to keep up my appearance every waking second."

Deryn made an "Mm-hmm" sound, agreeing. Newspapers had gone back to gossip and tabloids pretty fast after the deal with Alek and Deryn. Nowadays, they were not pointed out by people on the street nor gawked at whenever they were together. Deryn suspected that Eddie Malone had something to do with it, but was not sure why he had. From her perspective, it did not benefit him, as most people adored reading about love across social classes and tragic childhoods, but he must have had _some_ motive. Deryn would only know why he had when the time came, but it was no use worrying about something that she could not prevent. So, she shoved it out of her mind with a very firm _push_ and carried on.

"If we're lucky, no one will recognize us," Deryn said. "With my skirt, we're practically going incognito. Hey, maybe we should use aliases, too! I could be Lily and you could be James."

"I don't think we need to use aliases," Alek protested. "You are not in your uniform and this suit hardly classifies itself as worthy of royalty. We'll be fine." His girlfriend looked up and down his suit discreetly. It wasn't shabby-looking, and it fit him perfectly, but it certainly was not expensive-looking. Not that expensive-looking, even though the café they were going to had celebrities. What kind of café was it, anyways?

"Hey Alek?"

"Yes, Deryn?"

"What kind of restaurant is it that we're going to?" Alek didn't respond. Deryn flicked him forehead and repeated, "What kind of restaurant is it?"

"Oh, you know… A nice one…" Alek said vaguely, unlinking his arm from his girlfriend's and shoving it in his pocket. He stared off into the distance, not look at her.

"Hey, look at me," she said, forcing him to do so by pushing his face that way with her gloved hands. "Does 'nice' translate to 'expensive'? Because you know that we're struggling enough on a daily basis, and I don't want you to spend a bunch of money just to woo me. I'm fine something more toned-down."

Alek bit his lip. "It _does_ translate to expensive…" he started, trailing off. Deryn raised an eyebrow. "But we haven't ever gone to a nice restaurant as a couple, and I thought it would be a nice, romantic gesture to do so. Most couples do this kind of thing regularly, and the only reason we have not is because you won't let me."

"I'm a former midshipman who's a woman and you're the former prince of Austria-Hungary. We are not most couples," Deryn said snarkily. Alek moved his umbrella to his other hand, as his left one was getting numb. Wordlessly, she gently took it out of his hands and held it over them both herself. This made more sense, because she was taller, but Alek still felt like he was being left bereft of a right that most boyfriends have: to hold an umbrella over their sweetheart's head because, as said by who-knows-who, "It's romantic".

"We can just order the less expensive food," Alek said offhandedly.

"Sounds good," said Deryn, taking up his hand and shaking it. She grinned. "Then I am going to order soup and garlic knots."

"Nothing else?"

"Nothing else."

"Why?"

"Because those will be the cheapest things."

If there was such thing as a face-palm in the early twentieth century, Alek would have done it. If there a desk available, he would have done a head-desk, which is increasingly popular nowadays, despite the fact that it could knock over other things on the desk, like tea. Or that it hurts.

Anyways, I think I've established that there was no face-palm and no head-desk. So, Alek settled for an incredulous look aimed at his girlfriend. "How about we just split the food we order?" he suggested.

"Sounds good. That cuts the money right in half." Deryn rubbed her hands together, laughing quietly and scaring Alek a little. Goodness knows how excited she got whenever there was a chance to save money. The only problem with this rubbing-hands motion was that it left nowhere for the umbrella to be held. This resulted in the umbrella bouncing on their heads once and then falling to the ground.

Rain was suddenly coming down at full force on the couple's heads. Deryn cursed loudly. She reached for the umbrella, but it was rolling away now, away from them and into the busy street. It came to a stop, which was nice, because it would not have been fun to go chasing after it. So, she picked it up and walked back over to Alek, who was standing hunched over, trying to conserve body heat.

His teeth were chattering. Deryn's were, too, but she was used to the cold rains of Manhattan. Alek, on the other hand, took a cab through the city more often than not, and as a result never got a chance to have the full New York experience. Deryn held up the umbrella and they began walking again. "Do you want to just run there?" she asked him softly. "We're get there faster, even if we'll be wetter."

Alek nodded, and off they went.

— — — — — — — — — — — —

The date went nicely. The food was enough to warm them, they split the check (...and the food), and the movie seemed to be off to a good start. It was a tragedy about some girl (Deryn thought her name was Amelia something-or-another) losing her love, her home, and everything she held dear before dying of a heart attack.

Deryn thought it was hilarious.  
Maybe it was the way the actress clutched her throat at the end, maybe it was the way that everything was exaggerated quite dramatically, and maybe it was both. Who knows? Any way, Deryn could be heard laughing throughout the entire thing. The other movie-goers hushed her, as did Alek at first. However, after about 15 minutes of putting his hand over his girlfriend's mouth to suppress her giggles, he gave up. In fact, he joined in.

Quietly, so as to not disturb the others too much, he began narrating the story as read from the words on the screen. This was done with a comically deep voice, complete with strange inflictions and putting emphasis on random words. "Little to _her_ knowledge, the burglar _had_ stolen all her jewelry by _the_ time she was home _from_ the market!" The silver screen showed Amelia walking through the door, clasping her hands to her cheeks as the camera fixed itself on her face, which was showing a rather ridiculous surprised look.

Deryn stifled giggles of hysteria. Alek was trying to hide his laughter, but was not doing a good job of it.

A few more minutes in, they couldn't repress their laughter any longer. They no longer tried to pretend they were enjoying the movie; their boisterous rang throughout the cinema, causing a lot of people to shout out phrases such as "Shut up!" and "If you don't stop laughing, I am getting the manager!"

In the end, the manager was summoned and the couple was kicked out. They apologized to the man, but he didn't seem particularly keen on hearing their apologies. He was more keen on muttering about how out of control youngin's were nowadays, and how boys should find someplace else to rendez-vous so that he could make a decent living. Alek and Deryn didn't bother pointing out that Deryn was not a boy. They doubted that the manager would care.

The walk home (which was dry except for the puddles, which had yet to evaporate after the rain stopped) was filled with more laughter and making fun of the terrible movie. Alek's voice was perfect for narrating, and Deryn's was perfect for imitating Amelia's, if she did say so herself. All in all, it was a rather lovely date.

They stopped in front of Deryn's apartment at around 9:00. They would have went around town a bit, maybe stopped by Central Park, but...again with the puddles. Alek was going to have a cup of tea at Deryn's house and then depart. Deryn unlocked her front door and Alek held it open for her.

"Thank you, good sir," she said in a high-pitched voice, curtseying with her skirt.

"You are quite welcome, fair lady," he replied in a deep voice.

They drank tea, chatted about how much they hated politicians, debated whether or not tanks should be used in the military, and ended with a passionate make-up session.

Nah, I'm just kidding. Sorry to get your hopes up.

It ended with something more like a "Goodbye!" and a kiss on the cheek and a threat to not come by earlier than 7:30 or else somebody would get seriously injured.

That was as romantic as they would get, but that was just how it was. It was friendship with kisses and chocolate, and that was good enough for the two of them.

**Hello! This is our first post on the combined account of Bush Fire Transition. If you haven't seen the profile, this is a joined account involving emeraldvk, emsaduem, and Lady Cocoa, the last two being the authors of these series of drabble-like chapters. We hope you enjoy and review!**


	2. Omake Theater

**Note: This is a parody, and is not to be taken seriously. We just wrote this for kicks. Review, nonetheless!**

Alek couldn't believe his eyes: Deryn was leaning sexily against the door, wearing a tight-fitting black dress. It had a slit in it that went up to her mid-thigh and the back was entirely open. Deryn's long, blond hair, which she had grown out in order to stay fashionable, fell over her shoulders. It was so soft-looking that Alek yearned to run his fingers through him…

This certainly wasn't how Alek had expected his beautiful girlfriend to dress on their first date. (However, he was secretly pleased.)

Deryn smiled seductively at him, making Alek weak in the knees. "Shall we?" she said, walking down the stairs of her apartment. A hand was on her hip. Alek licked his lips in anticipation.

Deryn was right in front of him now. Her chest was pressed against his. She was still smiling that beautious, sexy smile of hers.

Alek was just about about to give her a passionate kiss (LIKE, OOOOOOOOOH MY GOD) when she pulled away. She was frowning now, and there were tears in her eyes. She sniffled and tried to wipe them away, but Alek caught her hand.

Wrapping his arm around her waist (LIKE, OOOOOOOOOH MY GOD), he said in a deep, gruff voice, "What is it, babe? I promise, whatever it is, I can beat it up in the parking lot of a local school building for you." His dark eyes were like windows into his soul. Like, brooding and mourning his losses? Brooding and Mourning His Losses was practically his middle the outside, he wasn't the most compassionate, but once you got to know him, he was totally chill. His parents had been killed in an accident, giving him that distant, bad-boy look that made Deryn go _wild._ She _loved_ bad boys.

Deryn looked up at her super-sexy boyfriend. Her cerulean orbs bore into his...uh...brown ones. Her eyes were like the ocean, full of depth and emotion. No, not because they were blue—everybody knows that the ocean gets very emotional, and rain is the ocean's tears. At least, that's what the homeless psychic across the street says.

But anyway, back to her eyes: they were blue. The end.

"I can't," she sniffled, a single tear running down her cheek like a really sweaty Olympic gold medalist running down a track, or...something. So, really fast, I guess?

"Why can't you, babe?" Alek trailed his lips down her neck as Deryn cried softly. "You know that I would do anything for you. So why have you been so distant lately?"

"I just… Don't want to hurt you," she said.

Alek's eyes smoldered sexily. "Don't worry, Deryn. I'll protect you."

"But don't you understand?" she cried dramatically, covering her face with her hands. A passerby raised an eyebrow.

"I can't because… Because—"

"Just say what you need to say!"

"Because I'm a vampire!"

_**TO BE CONTINUED... **_


	3. School and Park

White columns towered above him as Alek exited Columbia University's Engineering and Applied Sciences division, hoping to go home and relax after a long day full of long lectures, resulting in long homework assignments. The mid-afternoon sun was a blinding orange, flickering in and out as a few lazy clouds covered it.

"Well, I feel quite enlightened after today's lecture, don't you, Your Highness?"

A familiar figure fell in step with. He, like Alek, wore a collared shirt with a tie hanging loosely from it. The man looked utterly bored with the world, with his sarcastic comment only punctuating his irritation.

Sighing, Alek turned to his friend and asked, "Good grief, Nathan, stop sneaking up on me!"

The black-haired boy chuckled and slapped Alek playfully on the back. "I'm just kidding. What's got you wound up as tight as a spring?"

"Exhaustion," was all that Alek could manage, raising his hand to block the sun from his eyes.

Nathan grunted in agreement as the two engineering majors descended the stairs. As many lectures were ending, both for engineers and doctors-in-the-making, the plaza around Columbia was crowded. Most of the people who made up the crowd were men, but quite a few female students milled about as well. Something, Alek noted, Deryn would appreciate.

"So, any plans?" Nathan asked as they continued to make their way onto the street.

Alek shook his head, but quickly added, "I have too much to do, Nate. My desk has becoming the leaning tower of unfinished essays."

Nate laughed softly at the witty joke, but otherwise remained silent.

Above the bustle, in the center of the plaza (a few yards in front of the boys), a loud, and commanding voice screamed, "_DUMMKOPF!"_

In shock at hearing his nickname, Alek tripped over himself, nearly taking Nate with him. Attempting to regain his bearings, Alek scoured the crowd in search of the only woman he knew who could scream that loud.

_Speak of the devil…._

She marched out in front of the crowd, her hands on her petite hips, glaring daggers at her boyfriend, who looked simultaneously irritated, exhausted, and terrified. A bag was clutched in his hand, threatening to spill out its contents onto the ground.

"Who in God's blaze's is that?" Nate asked, glancing at the approaching woman.

A voice, much louder and commanding overshadowed the question as Deryn Sharp called, "Oi! Alek! Get your sorry bum here right now!"

Nate giggled under his breath, bursting into full-blown cackling when Alek sent an angry look his way.

The crowd obediently parted as the quite irritated woman pushed past them, hands on her hips. It had taken quite a lot of arguing and convincing, but Alek had been able to convince Deryn to wear slightly more feminine attire. She was wearing long pants, that when she didn't move, almost looked like a skirt. As a top, a white, sailor-like blouse hung loosely at her sides, similar to the way her hair hung around her head. It was combed and parted to the side for a change, making her look quite adorable. Of course, the angered expression didn't fully fit the description Alek had just mentally run through.

Nate, however, being a blind fool, looked absolutely horrified and confused. Craning his head to the side, he softly, with a strained calm, "Who, um… is that, Alek?"

"Why didn't you tell me you were the top of your class?!" she demanded.

Alek was taken aback by the violent yet proud demeanor Deryn currently had. She was clutching a letter in her hands, one he had read earlier that morning. It was from the university, congratulating him on his exemplary grades. Alek, having never participated in a regular school setting before college, was ecstatic. However, Deryn tended to ignore any of his academic achievements. Her excitement and anger were both surprising (and confusing. Why was she so angry?).

Without warning, she launched herself at him in a tight hug. Her lean arms wrapped around his waist, lifting his feet a few inches off the ground and spinning him around in circles.

Nate cleared his throat. "I didn't know you were into…" he trailed off, staring awkwardly at the ground. He, however, was not the only one looking red in the face. Others cast their eyes down, trying to look away from the couple. Deryn looked up. Her face had buried in the crook of Alek's neck, and being removed from said location by an American's irritated cough made her feel...irritated.

"What are blethering on about?" she demanded, glaring at the boy. She untangled herself from Alek's arms. Despite his bright, tomato-shaded face, a ghost of a smile danced on his handsome features. His heart may be in the right place, and he may be kind and loving, but physical relationships (or physical contact, for that matter) still left him blushing.

He quirked his head to the side. "Nate..?"

Nate was unable to articulate and instead gestured to Deryn. "Of course, no one would judge you…" he promised, though his eyes told a different story. "You can love whoever you want to…"

She was the first to realize what he was mumbling about. The realisation caused her to laugh hysterically. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she doubled over as wave after wave of laughter coursed through her. Both Alek and Nate stared at her with a dumbfounded look on their faces. It seemed like everybody but Deryn was confused beyond belief in those few moments.

"He… he thinks you like men!" she gasped in-between breaths.

Alek's eyes widened and Nate blushed once more. The saying may be cliché, but he looked like a ripe, red tomato fresh off the vine. Like his girlfriend, he too began to chuckle.

Slapping his hand on his friend's shoulder, he said, "Nate, this is my girlfriend, Deryn Sharp. _She_ has a tendency to dress and act like a person of the male gender but I swear, on my life and hers—" she grunted at this—"that she is female."

— — — — — — — — — — — —

Most of the roads were empty. It was a few hours after lunch, so most people were back in their offices, suffering through the last few hours before they could finally head home. A few women and children were heading towards the park as well. Most were dressed in evening attire, probably stopping off to keep the children in check: "But mother, I don't want to go to ball!" "How about we stop at the park, pumpkin?" "Really? I'm too old for _playing,_ Mom."

Deryn scoffed at the exchange as she and Alek entered the park. Well, to be truthful, Alek was mostly being dragged. His book bag was clutched to his chest as they went deeper and deeper and found a fairly empty field. She gave it a once-over and decided that it met her standards. Suddenly, she whipped her head around.

"I have brought you here today," she whispered, dead serious, as she walked around him, "for a challenge."

"Excuse me?" Alek asked as she slowly circled him, forcing him to crane his neck.

"I challenge thee, Aleksander formerly of Hohenberg, to a tournament, in which we determine our strength. agility, and intelligence!" She would have gone on, but due to her lack of fancy vocabulary, she left it at that.

Alek amusedly quirked an eyebrow. "Really?"

Deryn nodded confidently.

A dark smile grew across the face of the "formerly Hohenburg", as Deryn had put it. "Bring it," he muttered, his feet in a stance similar to that of one used in fencing. In some silent agreement, the couple raced off, each pushing to stay ahead of the other.

Both racers—or competitors—were extremely well-matched. Both were lanky and tall (despite Deryn's two-inch advantage), with their own share of impressive muscle mass. Years of fencing and months of engine work had definitely paid off for Alek. However, Deryn had been a midshipman, and had been subdued to rigorous beastie-feeding and ratline-climbing. Nothing, however, Deryn was unprepared for her boyfriend—her _shorter_ boyfriend, mind you—to beat her to the tree across the park.

"Not...fair…" she heaved, bending over to catch her breath.

"It is not," Alek calmly explained, pretending not to be exhausted himself, "my fault that your running skills are egregious."

"Stop using big words or I'm going to hit you." This was punctuated with a rough punch to his shoulder.

"Redo!" she shouted, bolting off.

Eyes widening, Alek stumbled after the blonde, who was already a few lengths ahead of him. Arms pumping, he steadily caught up to her. He grabbed her hand and pulled her back, effectively tripping over himself then landing on her.

He landed on top of her, forcing the breath out of her lungs. Looking down to see her flush against him, breathing heavily with a dusting of red on her cheeks from exertion, Alek blushed and froze in fear.

Deryn, being the biologically savvy Darwinist, found the compromising situation entertaining, rather than embarrassing.

Feigning fear, she exclaimed, "Help me! I am being sexually harassed! Dear God and Huxleys above, someone help me!"

Alek scrambled of, rolling to the side and onto the grass. She sat up and laughed heartily, literally rolling on the grass at Alek's tomato-red face. After glaring angrily at a beetle in the grass, he too chuckled lightly.

— — — — — — — — — — — —

Stumbling back into Deryn's apartment was a bit of a hassle, considering that both Alek and Deryn were unable to repress their giggles long enough to stick the key into the lock. Alek, being the more mature of the two, took it upon himself to calm down for a few seconds, unlocking her home. They plopped down on the couch and laughed for awhile longer.

"I'm going to wash up," Alek promptly said upon concluding in his horsing around. Deryn pouted angrily, to which he smiled. "Make us some tea, hm? It's what you British Darwinists like anyway."

Before she could rebut the jab, he was in the bathroom, the door locked, abruptly ending their conversation. Sighing, she walked to her tiny kitchen which contained only the basic essentials to survival. A cupboard nearly empty with the exception some bread and some crackers. However, if there was one thing her house never ran low on, it was tea. Two large boxes held a variety of herbal, black, and fruit teas. None were exactly expensive, but they satisfied her tea-cravings.

The stove was promptly lit and the kettle, full to the brim with water, was placed on it. Her water was usually boiled in a pot, but she managed to rustle up something for the man washing in her bathroom…

Pulling her head out of the gutter, Deryn walked back into the main room. Alek's jacket had been casually tossed on the armchair, slightly moist from the drizzle that had sent them running home from the park. Alongside it was his book bag, packed to the point of bursting with textbooks and notebooks. Curious, Deryn withdrew a particularly bulky one and flipped open to a random page. A painstakingly careful diagram of some Clanker machine was inscribed, along with neat swoops of a the pen labeling all the parts. Alek was no artist—he was far from it—but these drawings were impressive, for a novice. Deryn didn't like drawing such structured and flawless machines, huffing and puffing out their smoke and screeching against one another… And yet, Alek had brought such grace and beauty into them. Each tooth of the gear that overlapped with another, in such perfect harmony…

In her vigorous flipping, Deryn didn't notice all of Alek's stuff toppling onto the ground. The contents of his bag spilled onto his leather jacket. Ink leaked from an uncapped ball-point pen, threatening to ruin the jacket. Deryn scrambled to pick up the jacket. It still bore his family crest on the breast pocket. Shaking off the windbreaker, as if getting off any ink that got on without her knowledge, she scrambled to clean everything up before Alek got out and started about her clumsiness.

A clunk resonated as she was hanging the jacket back up. Something had fallen out of his pocket. Due to the lateness of the hour and lack of light in the room. Deryn was not quite able to make it out on the floor. She picked it up gently and appraised it from different angles. It was a small, brownish box that fit comfortably in her palm. The velvet over it was fuzzy, borderline-itchy on her skin. It was obviously a jewelry box, probably for a ring….

Letting out an extremely uncharacteristic girlish scream, Deryn fell back. The box fell onto the ground. The water from the bathroom immediately stopped. Within a few seconds, Alek came out, water glistening in his sopping wet hair, the water turning it a dark reddish-brown color. (Kind of like rust on a bike. Okay, maybe that sounds too unappealing… Let's just say that it looked like a red velvet cupcake, then!) A towel had been wrapped around his waist and a determined expression was set on his face.

"Deryn? Deryn!" he rushed to her side, dropping to his knees and grabbing her trembling hand. Her breathing was sporadic and her eyes were trained on something on the floor.

"Is the great Midshipman scared of a bug…?" Alek teased, leaning over to see what had frightened his girlfriend.

Through the faint light streaming in from the bathroom, he was able to make out a box-like outline.

"...Oh…" he whispered.

"A-Alek…." she managed, her voice barely above a whisper.

He nodded dumbly.

"Is...is that what I think it is…?"

Again, a nod.

"Barking spiders!"

She scrambled up, backpedaling until she was on the other side of the room. She was breathing hard. Thoughts were flying through her head so fast. Even in battle, Deryn had never been so confused, scared, but _exhilarated_. The former prince was left on the ground, looking miserable. Somehow, however, he was able to straighten his back, stand up and walk over to Deryn. Carefully, as if trying to soothe a startled animal (she did resemble one, at this point in time), he took her small hands in his and, looked into her eyes.

"I wanted it to be more of a surprise…" he chuckled at that, averting his gaze for a moment, before he steeled it and looked back at Deryn. "But I guess this will do."

He sighed. Much to her surprise, he didn't drop to his knees, like so many stupid movies depicted. He continued to hold her hands, and started a somewhat frantic speech:

"Deryn Sharp, I met you, freezing in the snow on the outskirts of Switzerland. I wish I could say it was love at first sight, but...well, you do make quite the convincing boy. I saw another world, through the view of a Darwinist. Never had I thought trapezing around on a whale would allow me to meet the love of my life…. And getting caught up in a war? On the Darwinist side of all things? It still astounds me.

"Since meeting you, I've seen the farthest reaches of the world and met so many wonderful people. My shell had been broken and I was finally able to see a completely different world. If that weren't enough, I met the most beautiful, confident, headstrong woman ever, who was willing to risk her life to fulfill her dream of flying as well as defending her country. It took me a few months to figure that you were actually female, but in the end, it doesn't really matter, does it?

"Anger and betrayal were the first things I felt upon learning the truth, but afterwards…." he trailed off, his eyes briefly flickering down. "I love you. I love you more than I ever thought I could. I need you by my side. I am willing to follow you to the ends of the earth, which I have already proven on multiple occasions. For you, I am willing to be dragged and yelled at and teased as long as you are the one doing it. At first, I was going to do some extremely standard proposal, but life just likes to bite our bums. It's not like we were ever normal anyway. So please, Deryn, may I have the honor of calling you my wife?"

He didn't know what to expect. He had never really...confessed to her. She was the one that grabbed him by the tie after a particularly heated argument, screaming, "I _love_ you, Dummkopf!" She just stood there after he finished his speech, staring at him with the mouth agape. Alek's palms began to sweat, and he was tempted to put down her hands down. However, as he un-wove his fingers from hers, her hand tightened on his.

Deryn was always quick with her comebacks. To be a gal impersonating a lad in the military, she had developed and extremely sharp tongue. This speech was something different. Despite her Darwinist background, any romance made her feel too mushy and gooey. It was why she chose to confess; she wanted to be in control. Alek's words, the proposal, the fact he had allowed her to drag him to the park, despite his obvious exhaustion….

"I—" she tried, unable to form a coherent sentence.

Much to both members of the couple's surprise, tears began to fall from Deryn's eyes. Her thin hands were shaking, as was her body. In a rare display of weakness, she leaned against Alek's bare chest; not before, of course, quickly wiping the tears away.

Slowly, she leaned back and gazed into his eyes, something they had been too often. Nonetheless, their eyes stayed on each other for quite some time before Deryn broke the silence.

"I never thought anyone would ever love me, let alone propose…"

Alek was ecstatic. "You mean you agree? You will be my wife…!"

She sadly shook her head and averted her gaze. "I'm sorry, Alek. You took too long."

"Pardon?" he released her hands and backed away.

"I've waited for months for you to make a move, _any_ move. Eventually, I got tired of you dragging your bum on the ground. I found someone else. He used to fly in the Air Service, and I can actually understand what he's talking about. Your Clanker talk… I just can't stand it, how boring it is..."

He backed away, as if he were slapped. Unable able to keep the crestfallen expression from his face, he plopped down on the couch, placing his head in his hands, only looking up when he heard a giggle.

The light chuckling quickly morphed to full out laughter.

"You dummkopf!" she managed through gasps. "Sure, I'll marry you! As if I'd wander off to some veteran! God knows if my personality is anything go by, I do _not_ want to spend the rest my life with a sassy, cocky, and sharp-tongued Air Servicemen. And don't forget handsome..."

"Of course you'd think your male counterpart would be handsome," Alek mumbled angrily, glaring at his now fiancee.

"I _was_ my male counterpart!" Deryn responded, casually checking her nails.

"Fair point…" he couldn't keep a smile from ghosting his lips.

She scoffed: "I always have a fair point."

"I hate you," Alek murmured.

"I'm sure you do," she agreed, slipping the modest engagement ring onto her finger.

**Hello! Sorry, I was going to update over the weekend, but it was break for us, Lady Cocoa was lazy and I was out vacationing in sub-zero weather. I hope you enjoy this humorous and fluffy chapter regarding our two favorite Europeans and their relationship as it progresses. If you enjoyed it, leave a review!**


	4. Dress Shopping

**Drabble Four: Deryn Goes Shopping for a Dress**

********(AN: For the purpose of this story, Deryn's mother and aunts are in the U.S. for her wedding. Also, we do not own Leviathan.)****

**Furs and silks shrouded Deryn's view, the sidewalk and trees taking up everything else. High-pitched, chirpy voices, ones usually associated with an obsession with such clothes, were everywhere. The women had popped out of nowhere, ambushing the girl before her razor-sharp reflexes could kick in. When her aunties had an agenda, they would use every dirty little trick in the book to get it done.**

**"****Oh Deryn," some cooed, looking over her uniform. Others disdainfully glanced at it, groaning, "Oh, ****_Deryn_****…"**

**Applying for the Navy had been a painful process for the young woman. At first, it had only been with simple paperwork and physicals, confirming that she was indeed a woman in her prime, with an above-average height and an average weight. The recruiters were skeptical, having seen very few woman walk into their stations, and even more skeptical after examining her knee which was still recovering from the injury from so long ago. Deryn was, however, able to prove herself worthy to them. And thank goodness that she had.**

**Within a few weeks, a letter had come, addressed to her, ****_Deryn Sharp_****, not Dylan, or her brother, or her mother… ****_to her_****. With excitement, she tore it open, crossing her fingers and hoping with all her heart it was the final documentation required to officially enlist in the navy. However, her past, in which she hid her gender in another country's military, plus the slightly sketchy attainment of citizenship meant that there was even ****_more_****paperwork to be done. Today was her third time coming to the office, to be double- and triple-checked as a legitimate citizen. A headache was already pounding away inside her temple from the pointless questioning; seeing her sneaky aunties outside the building was the last thing she needed.**

**Alek was probably home. Maybe she could slip away and head to his apartment, maybe even grab some coffee with him. She missed her Dummkopf…**

**Each limb was being pulled in an opposite direction as her relatives shoved and pushed to grab their "favorite worst niece."**

**"****Let ****_go,_****" ****she demanded, attempting to retract her limbs.**

**The scuffle and chaos finally ended, allowing the dazed and thoroughly exhausted girl to be placed safely on the ground.**

**"****What are you doing here?" was the first of many questions to slip out of her mouth.**

**Her mother, a tall and busty woman, pushed her way to the front. She bore nearly no resemblance to her daughter. Deryn had allowed her hair to grow slightly, much to Alek's pleasure and her displeasure. Her mother, Frances Sharp, however, was much more feminine. High cheekbones were covered with heavy make-up and a prominent chin lead her through the small crowd of female relatives. Like Deryn, she had small eyes and a tiny nose.**

**When Deryn was first joining the British Air Service, her main concern were those feminine features she had inherited. That is where any resemblance ends, though. Frances had womanly curves and a voluptuous waist. Her bosom was huge, something Deryn's body never seemed to have the time for, despite being in prime health and adequately fed during her teenage years. Nearing her 20th birthday, her chest size left much to be desired.**

**Most of the time, it was blessing. Other times, when her inner feminine jealousies break free, she yearned for more.**

**The womanly figure was dressed in a light, long and pale dress, the color of an apricot. (A rotting apricot, really, but the color difference is easily mistakable.) The neckline was fairly modest, but her large chest nonetheless threatened to spill. Over that, she wore a dull, green shawl and on her head was perched a small-brimmed hat with a bird on it. Preserved birds on hats were all the fashion, according to her mother.**

**"****Your wedding is coming up, darling," she said, circling the young woman, who was squirming uncomfortably, "and we must help you find the perfect gown. No daughter of mine will dress in slacks on her perfect day!"**

**In horror, Deryn's eyes widened. Of course, the textbook-perfect military wife was going to drag her daughter shopping. The deranged woman probably thought that Alek and her daughter had rented an entire ballroom for the reception and were planning on holding the wedding in some outdoor setting, with butterflies and doves released as they said their vows. Something romantic and corny like that.**

**The last thing Deryn needed was that fruit-resembling woman to give her fashion advice. She, despite dressing like someone of the opposite sex, had won over a man—no, a ****_prince_****—****while most of her aunties were either divorced or alone. The sharp-mouthed Sharp, thinking that her aunties' reactions would be funny, made that opinion audible.**

**The women flinched.**

**Her mother's eyes widened in shock, and a hand rose to slap her disobedient child.**

**Deryn, having experienced much worse, ducked under the hand, rammed her hands into her pocket and began to walk away.**

**"****See you at the wedding," she casually called over her shoulder, leaving her family members frozen in shock.**

**One, however, un-froze and nearly tackled her from behind.**

**"****Please," the auntie begged. "Your mother needs this. Having a son who is out fighting is so hard on her, her husband passed away, and you're the only daughter she has…"**

**In her opinion, what her mother needed was fewer tarts, not more involvement in the wedding-planning process. Then again, what did Deryn know? She was only a decorated veteran and the hero of many countries worldwide...**

**With a sigh, Deryn complied. She secretly hoped that they would say something rude to give her an opportunity to snap back at them, causing them to back off. Her sarcastic remarks had sent many people running for the hills, their skirts in hand to avoid getting them dirty.**

**The little entourage that she had managed to gather had shepherded her to a local seamstress, who seemed ready to shoo the peeping tom out of her store. Deryn, as most situations dictated, was forced to explain her gender. The woman was even more shocked to find out she was to be married that summer. Her jaw hit the ground when she confirmed that indeed, she was ****_the_****Deryn Sharp who had stolen the heart of the former Prince of Austria-Hungary, Alek Ferdinand, who denounced his throne in her name. The seamstress' previously packed schedule suddenly opened up to accommodate the engaged woman and her crazy aunties.**

**Precise measurements were taken immediately. Deryn was forced to strip her comfortable uniform off, leaving her in her underclothes. Thankfully, the room in which all this took place was safely guarded from any passerbies. The seamstress, Marian, was chittering and humming as she worked, while Deryn's middle-aged aunties giggled like the school girls that they hadn't been for a good 30 years. The poking and prodding made Deryn's skin rise into goosebumps. At even the slightest touch, the airwoman would shrink away.**

**A few minutes later, the seamstress came out with multiple dresses slung over her arm and eagerly escorted the girl into a changing room. She shoved a dress into her arms, winked, and left the room.**

**Deryn stared at the white material in her arm. The silk material was embroidered with flowery designs and sparkly patches that depicted even more flowers. Other random sparkles and gems adorned the meshy silk in chaotic patterns. Groaning, Deryn began to search for an opening in the outfit. Eventually, after much cursing and muttering that her mother would have proclaimed unladylike, she found what she assumed was the place in which she was supposed to slip through. Reluctantly, she began to pull on the dress.**

**Within a few seconds, she realized was putting it on wrong the minute her lanky form was caught in tight fabric with no visible escape. The dress came off after a few more minutes. A nervous rap on the door startled the girl as she ****_finally_****located the zipper.**

**"****Ms. Sharp?"**

**"****I'm almost ready," she grit through her teeth.**

**The sound of steps retreating was audible. Clenching her fists, Deryn grabbed the offensive material and stepped into it. The process was sped up once Deryn figured out which hole was meant for which limb. The zipper was on her right side as opposed to running the length of her back, which made it easier to zip up. Deryn was many things, but she was not a contortionist.**

**A mirror was propped up against the wall. Hesitantly, she rotated 90 degrees and looked at her reflection.**

**In some ways, Deryn was pleasantly surprised. Unlike many dresses she had forced into before, this one looked good on an abnormally tall woman such as herself. In truth, she was surprised that the seamstress had been able to find a dress for a person of her height. Even her non-existent figure was outlined, to make her look curvier than she truly was.**

**Nonetheless, the lacy, bedazzled sleeves did not hide her muscles nor her masculine arms, which, in their own way, were ****_very_****curvy. Usually, they were one of her favorite physical aspects, but in a dress, they looked completely out of place. Almost everything was. Her chest was flat, undoubtedly leaving more to be desired and pieces of fabric hung around, confused and uncertain where to go with so little ****_anything_****.**

**Knowing it was no use self-pitying, brooding, or stalling any longer, Deryn walked out the changing room and into the adjacent room. Many woman stood up and attempted to coax their blonde-haired boy-girl out into direct light. Everyone backed away—except Deryn, of course—as Frances began her predator-like circling. Many looks flashed across her face, none of them pleasant.**

**Growling, Deryn demanded, "Just spit it out, Frances. I don't need anymore of these games you play to keep up your own self-image."**

**The woman drew in a sharp breath and turned away, mumbling something like, "Next one, please." Apparently, Frances had decided to let the comment slide. No doubt that her only daughter would snap if she dared to retort.**

**Before another snide comment could escape her, Deryn was shoved back into the room to try on another dress.**

**Unlike the other one, that's mesh-like coating irritated her skin, this one felt as soft as silk, which it was undoubtedly made of. It had longer sleeves, immediately presenting a problem: it was summer, and even Deryn knew wearing such material would not only be improper, but also extremely annoying.**

**"****Barking spiders," she mumbled, beginning yet another expedition around the fabric to find the entrance to it. Thankfully, the zipper was not hidden from view, and a fairly obviously gap for the neck was found quickly. Her thin arms slipped through the long sleeves, which ended in round, ruffled cuffs. The sleeve itself was fairly plain up until the elbow, just an soft off-white color. From the elbow up, and there was some sort of sheer fabric (also itchy) that stopped at her collarbone. Again, some floral designs with sparkles—she was ****_so_****tired of sparkles—were sprinkled about it. At her chest, a white corset was covered with the same embroidered material, ending right above her waist. Layered skirts flowed from the end of the top, each one ending abruptly, only to be replaced by a longer, more fluffy skirt, until the dress ended at the ground.**

**Without even glancing at the mirror, Deryn marched out of the small room, fully prepared to be criticized by Frances and her aunties. For whatever reason, most were much more in agreeance with this outfit, including her mother. However, after a shouting match between the two women, Deryn triumphantly marched back into the changing room to try on, as she put it, "A dress that won't make me sweaty enough to fill a piss-bucket." The vulgar comment had quickly resolved the debate, as all the aunties' jaws were on the ground, leaving them speechless.**

**— — — — — — — — — — — —**

**Her skin was raw and sore from slipping through silks, cotton, mesh, corset. furs, and a variety of other fabrics. Sitting still was impossible, with the overly energetic seamstress breathing down her neck and shoving more dresses at her than she could possibly try on. Their styles varied from "The Queen is coming to town!" to "Who needs decency anyway?" to "We just kind of sewed some white fabric together and stuck on some ribbons". Most were lacy and obnoxiously itchy, the others being so revealing that even Deryn refused to walk out of the room. (What sort of messed up lassie wore such ****_short_****skirts anyway? It wasn't like she had anything to show off, so what was the point in her trying them on?). At one point, she had dozed off on her chair, her half-zippered dress hanging loosely hanging around her.**

**After a few more dozen dresses, Deryn patience had turned to brimming hatred and extreme verbal violence. Even after begging her mother to allow her to wear her Air Service uniform, no compromise had been made. Any dress Deryn remotely appreciated was quickly dismissed with a wave of a hand, and any dress her mother adored, she thoroughly loathed.**

**"****Come out, dear!" Frances called, her voice managing to stay upbeat and shrill even though they****had been in the store for over four hours.**

**WIth an extremely audible sigh, Deryn plodded out the door, with a train following her for a feet before the door was able to close. The annoying thing made her dress may a ton more, and the friction it created across the carpet made twice as hard to walk. Everyone, however, found it beautiful and gorgeous, cooing and squealing over it. Yet again, Deryn's opinion was never once asked for in the little family debate.**

**"****We'll take it!" a particularly loud aunty peeped. Frances and collective nodded in agreement, whispering amongst themselves, while Deryn's eyes widened in horror. **

**"****I don't want this piece of—" she began to complain, only to be cut off by the seamstress' pestering. "We just need you to sign a few things, and this lovely masterpiece is yours!"**

**"****How much is this even wo—"**

**The door slammed in the girl's face, nearly sending her sprawling to the ground. Regaining her balance and dusting off the dress, she sighed, grateful to be able to put on her trousers and blazer. Alek had often complained about the tight and constricting material in his dress shirts and coats. Obviously, the bloke had never been shoved into a dress that make it hard for you to breath while simultaneously increasing your chest through the magic of support, especially painful when one has no real ****_chest_****to support.**

**Pulling and groaning, Deryn was finally able to pop out of the constraining fabric of her 'wedding gown.' She, however, was not a decorated officer for nothing.**

**The offending outfit was left in a pile (****_Let that stupid seamstress take care of it_****) as Deryn slipped out into the viewing room. All of the women had already filed out and into the owner's office to get the final documentation sorted out. The Air Service woman's consent was required to buy the dress, something she was not willing to provide.**

**Glancing around warily, Deryn snuck forwards, attempting to remain unnoticed. outside of the room was a hallway with a few similar-looking doors, leading to identical rooms. If one were to follow the corridor further to the right, one would find the office in which the women had crowded with their large outfits and larger bodies. Deryn chose the left, hoping to make a rapid exit before any of her family decided to turn their heads, and see their bride-to-be fleeing.**

**The hallway led back to the entryway and an exit. Barely managing to suppress a whoop of victory, Deryn, without giving the shop a second glance bolted outside and began to run towards her apartment. A grin blossomed on her face as she dodged the afternoon chaos of New York CIty. She lived in the Upper East SIde of Manhattan, while Alek had chosen to reside closer to his college, near Upper Manhattan, on the west side. Thankfully, the wedding gown was on Amsterdam Avenue, a road that led directly toward her apartment. Sure it would be a bit of a hike, considering the fact is was rush hour. Darwinist creatures and Clanker machines rolled and plodded down the street, mixing amongst themselves. Little, bug-like taxis (including bug taxis) were parked alongside the road, preparing to pick up commuters and drive them about the bustling city. Deryn searched her pockets as she slowed to a casual walk, realized she had no money, and continued to trudge onward.**

**Sure, the lady boffin had given her and Alek plenty of money to start up a life in America after they politely turn down her Zoological Society offer, but nonetheless, money was tight. Deryn had started working at the neighboring café, something she absolutely hated.**

**After a few turns. multiple shoves, and a few dozen curses muttered under her breath, Deryn had arrived at her apartment. She glanced around the sparsely furnished room, checked the time, and began to pack. **

**She needed to get away. Her aunties and mother had taken up residence in her home, much to her annoyance, and refused to leave. She needed to get away from them, somewhere they wouldn't ever find her. Since getting tickets and all the fake paper to cross the border into Canada would take too much time, she would have to settle with Alek's house.**

**_I hope he's home_****, she thought wistfully. ****_If there's one person who can tolerate my complaining, it's him._**

**Racing round her tiny, one bedroom apartment, Deryn attempted to pick up enough clothing to last her until the wedding. Most of her good clothing had been hidden while she was away, undoubtedly by Frances, so finding everything was hassle. Thankfully, Deryn's aunties were known for the bulbous form, and walking from Lincoln Square to her apartment would take awhile for them to traverse. Or waddle. Depending on whether or not they stopped to eat lunch.**

**_Those aunties will never find me…_****Deryn mischievously thought, shoving as much as she could of her belongings into a briefcase.**

…**.**

…**.**

**Sorry for forgetting this story existed.**

…

**We wish you good tidings…**

…

…

**Please don't kill us….**

**...**


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